Rose Garden Week
by Solora Goldsun
Summary: Seven days. Seven prompts. All Rose Garden.
1. First

**Hello, my lovelies! For those of you who don't know, I am a Rose Garden shipper. It wasn't by choice, mind you. I was shanghaied! I had every intention of not shipping this ship, but then Oscar and Ruby met and they were cute and I have a weakness for cute shit and… Yeah. I'll defend these awkward dorks with my life now.**

 **Tumblr is doing a Rose Garden Week, so I'll be posting seven oneshots over the course of this week, each one with a different prompt. I hope you guys like tooth-rotting cuteness!**

 **Enjoy!**

"Is this your first time?"

"Uh, yeah…"

"There's nothing to be scared of, you know."

"I know… It's just…"

"We can do something else, if you want."

"N-No. I'm fine! I just need a minute." Oscar took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, they were filled with determination. "Okay. Let's get in line." He tried to ignore the sinking feeling in his stomach as he followed Ruby under the shadow of the Ferris Wheel.

When Ruby had invited him to go with her to the county fair, he had been ecstatic. He had met her at the beginning of the previous school year, when he moved into the district and ended up in the same lunch period as her. She and her best friend Penny had latched onto him immediately, probably recognizing a tendency toward social awkwardness that they also shared. Quickly, he came to the conclusion that they were the most amazing people in the school.

The realization that his friendship with Ruby had turned into a crush hit him during the second semester, when the two had noticed some junior students harassing a stray dog while walking home. Oscar only managed to take one step toward them before a red blur nearly knocked him off his feet. Ruby sped past him, picking up a large branch, and proceeded to beat the two older boys senseless.

Oscar had seen to the dog, calling animal control and scratching the poor creature's ears until help arrived. After everything was over and they knew the dog would be fine, he had turned to look at Ruby. Her face had been battered, her hands skinned, and she wore a bright, satisfied smile. Nothing had ever looked so beautiful.

And here he was, blowing his chance at impressing her by getting scared of a stupid carnival ride.

 _The have safety regulations,_ he reasoned as the line moved forward and he tried not to crumple his tickets in his nervousness. _The odds of dying on this thing are really low._ His traitorous mind brought up a recent news story about several people dying on a roller coaster that broke midway during the ride. _That's a rickety cart moving at a million miles an hour! This is a wheel that goes in a circle. Totally different._

Ruby glanced at Oscar out of the corner of her eye. _He looks really nervous. Maybe we shouldn't… But he said he wants to try this. He'll probably feel embarrassed if I keep pointing out how nervous he is. Ugh, this is hard. Maybe if I pretend I'm feeling lightheaded, that'll work without hurting his pride._

Of course, just as Ruby came up with this brilliant plan, they reached the front of the line and the man was holding out his hand for their tickets. There was no turning back now.

They sat down in the cart, which rocked a little as they moved into position. Oscar immediately froze, his pupils becoming pinpricks as the slight creak of metal hit his ears. "Why is it moving?" he muttered, pressing himself against he back of the seat as the bar was brought down.

"It needs to be able to move as the wheel turns," Ruby explained. "Otherwise, we'd just get dumped out a quarter of the way up." She winced when this caused Oscar's face to turn a distinct shade of green.

"R-R-Right. That makes s-sense." It was all Oscar could do to not scrunch his eyes shut as the wheel started moving, taking their creaky, shaky cart upwards and backwards. His hands were at his sides, pressing against the seat. _You are literally the lamest thing ever. You are going to die acting lame in front of the most gorgeous girl in school._

Something warm covered his hand, and his mind went utterly blank for a split second. He blinked once. Twice. Was that…? He looked down, his heart pounding even harder when he saw Ruby's hand resting on top of his. He looked back up at her face and was utterly floored by the gentle smile he saw there.

"See?" she said. "Nothing to be scared of." _Should I have done that? This won't make things weird, right?_ She let out a small sigh of relief when she felt Oscar slowly flip his hand over so their palms were touching, and carefully threaded their fingers together.

A hesitant smile started to replace the look of sheer terror that had decorated Oscar's face moments ago. "Yeah, it's not so- EEP!" He stiffened, letting out a yelp when the Ferris Wheel suddenly stopped, causing the cart to swing back and forth. His legs started shaking, and he was convinced that his knees would never be the same again if he got off this alive.

"Hey, it's okay!" Ruby scooted closer, so that their shoulders were touching, and squeezed his hand comfortingly. His palm was already extremely sweaty, but she didn't let go. "It's okay. They're just stopping to let some people on the next cart. Once everyone's on, it'll be a smooth ride."

"Ah. Right." Oscar swallowed loudly. "That's okay, then." He glanced at Ruby, forcing a shaky grin. "Sorry. You probably think I'm a complete wuss."

"Of course, I don't!" Ruby assured him. "It takes guts to do something you're scared to do. You didn't have to, you know."

Oscar shrugged. "I mean…you really wanted to go on, so I thought…" _Idiot! Now she's gonna feel guilty and think she dragged you on here!_

Ruby squeezed his hand again. "Yeah, but I don't want you to feel uncomfortable. I could've ridden with Yang." She winced as the Ferris Wheel stopped again, causing Oscar's back to stiffen further. "Why don't you choose the next ride? I'll go on whatever you want."

"Okay," Oscar agreed. He was able to relax for a few minutes after that, as the Ferris Wheel didn't make any more sudden stops. Of course, he had to go through it all again when people started getting off the ride. Still, the warm press of Ruby's shoulder against his and the comforting feeling of her hand made it all worth it. If he had been slightly less petrified, he might have tried putting his arm around Ruby.

Then again, maybe not. The thought alone was enough to make his heart race in a way that felt dangerous to his health.

When they got off, Oscar's legs were trembling, and it took him a minute to get his bearings. It was then that he realized that he was still holding Ruby's hand. And that his palm was sweating like crazy. "Omigosh, I'm sorry!" He quickly jumped away, wiping his hand on his jeans. "I didn't notice!" _Stupid, stupid, stupid!_

"It's fine!" Ruby assured him. "I didn't notice either."

"Right. Okay." _Way to freak out, idiot!_ "So, wanna check out the other rides?" he asked, attempting to salvage what remained of his dignity.

"Sure!" Ruby chirped. She honestly wanted to reach for his hand again, but decided against it for now.

They walked by the merry-go-round, and Oscar paused, admiring the painted horses and letting out an exclamation when he saw other animals, such as a gray wolf and a grizzly bear. "This is really well-made."

Ruby nodded in agreement, staring at the nearest horse, which was an Appaloosa with Nez Perce symbols engraved on the saddle, and feathers decorating the bridle. "I love merry-go-rounds," she admitted. "Even though no one else my age seems to. I still like naming the animal I get and pretending I'm in a race. If my horse is higher than the person next to me, I win." Her cheeks flushed, and she suddenly wondered if she should have revealed that much. When she turned to look at Oscar, however, she was stunned to see him grinning that adorable, crooked grin he always got whenever he was genuinely excited about something.

"I'm so glad I'm not the only one who still does that!" he exclaimed, letting out a laugh. "Want to go on?"

"Yeah! Dibs on the wolf!"

Oscar ended up choosing a black horse that was tossing its head upward and holding its hooves in a mid-leap position. It was, of course, right next to Ruby's wolf.

The carousel started, and the nostalgic, familiar music began playing. The young teens grinned easily, sneaking glances at each other throughout the ride. Oscar noticed a golden ring hanging from a hook, and saw several kids making grabs for it. He held back, wanting to give them a chance. However, when the ride started slowing down, he took the initiative to stand up and snatch it just as they passed by one last time. In the moments before the ride ended, he and Ruby waited to see which of their steeds would be higher. Ruby let out a cheer when her wolf became static in the highest position.

"I win!" she declared, climbing down and grinning at Oscar. "Good job getting the ring!"

"Thanks." Oscar gave the ring to the ticketmaster, who offered him a plush from a selection of small beanie animals that resembled some of the animals on the carousel. He chose a plush of the gray wolf and offered it to Ruby with a shy smile.

Ruby gladly accepted the stuffed wolf, hugging it to her chest and thanking Oscar profusely. She could feel her cheeks heating up. _Okay, that's totally something a guy does if he likes you. It's in basically every movie I've seen that has a fair!_

They ended up spending the rest of their tickets at the carousel, then hurried to find a good spot for the evening's fireworks. They sat in the grass, Ruby holding the stuffed wolf in her lap. After a moment's hesitation, she scooted close to him, so that their shoulders touched the way they did on the Ferris Wheel.

Oscar sucked in a shaky breath. _Okay,_ he thought. _You're on the ground. You can do this._ He glanced down, looking at Ruby's hands, which were folded in her lap around the wolf plush. His blood went thin as he reached over, brushing his fingers against her knuckle.

Immediately, Ruby slipped her hand into his, her smile growing wider and a giggle threatening to rise in her throat. She wove their fingers together and allowed her head to rest on Oscar's shoulder.

Oscar's head was ringing so much, he almost didn't notice the first few fireworks. And, honestly, he barely paid attention to them. He was far more invested in watching the way the lights from above continuously changed the color of their joined hands.

 **PRECIOUS, AWKWARD BABIES! Ahem… Today's prompt was "First," so I decided to go with Oscar going on his first Ferris Wheel ride. Tomorrow's prompt will be "Flowers," so stay tuned!**

 **If you like what you see and want to join an awesome fan community while earning sweet rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


	2. Flowers

**Greetings, everyone! Today's the second day of Rose Garden Week, and the prompt this time is "Flowers." This nice bit of fluff takes place in the canon-verse. Enjoy!**

Ruby's mind was in a whirl after the battle with Cinder. There were so many things to think about, so many people to get reacquainted with, and so much to do! Still, through it all, she was aware of Oscar, who had passed out after Ozpin's strength ran out, and had to be carried by Qrow back to the house they shared.

After a long night of catching up with Blake and Sun, meeting Ilia and the Belladonnas, and trying to figure out how to contact James Ironwood and get permission to enter Atlas, everyone retired to a well-deserved rest.

Oscar didn't wake up the next morning.

Ruby touched his wrist, and was relieved to feel a pulse. She placed a hand on his brow, which felt warm. Was it too warm, or was this a regular temperature? She wasn't sure.

"He'll be out for a while," Qrow said from the doorway, making Ruby jump a little. "Ozpin's got way more endurance, and Oscar's body isn't anywhere close to being able to handle what it went through yesterday."

Ruby made a sympathetic noise when she thought of how much Oscar's muscles would probably be aching when he woke up. "There wasn't any permanent damage, right?"

"Course not," Qrow promised. "One, Oz hates hurting people more than anything. He feels guilty enough about the fact that he's gotta possess this kid in the first place. Two, it wouldn't make sense practically for him to do that. If Oscar dies or becomes too damaged, that'll make it even harder for Oz to play his part in taking down Salem."

"That makes sense," Ruby murmured. She pulled the covers up so that they covered Oscar's shoulders. "How long will he be asleep?"

"Hopefully, he'll be awake by the evening. If he hasn't woken up by tomorrow morning, then we can start worrying." Qrow glanced at his niece with a slight smirk. "I'm sure you'll be a sight for sore eyes once he does."

Ruby's cheeks flushed. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, nothing. Just seems that he's taken a liking to you, that's all." Qrow winked, his grin widening.

"Omigosh, shut up!" Ruby covered her ears. "Don't be weird!"

"What's weird about it? You're teens. It's a thing that happens."

"Ugh. It's weird when _you_ talk about it!" Ruby groaned, rolling her eyes. "You and Dad!"

Qrow laughed. "Okay, okay. I'll lay off for now. Though, since I'm apparently the designated babysitter of this shitstorm, I think I deserve to embarrass my temporary kids at least a little."

" _Uncle Qroooooow!"_ Ruby whined.

"I'm leaving, I'm leaving!" Qrow snickered and walked off, stumbling a little in the doorframe.

 _Of course, he's drunk._ Ruby breathed a sigh before looking back at Oscar. His brows were crinkled, as if he was having a bad dream. Instinctively, Ruby rubbed his shoulder, humming quietly in the back of her throat. She remembered Yang doing that for her when she was little. Eventually, Oscar's face relaxed. Ruby felt a strange but pleasant swelling in her chest.

She could hear other people stirring and starting to make their way toward the kitchen. "See you later, Oscar," she promised, hurrying off to see if Blake was awake yet. During breakfast, it was Kali who suggested getting Oscar some flowers.

"It'll brighten up the room," she said positively. "And it's a lovely little reminder that we appreciate what he did. I remember when I had a fever and Blake went out and picked fistfuls of dandelions. She was just covered in dirt when she came back!"

"Mom…" Blake's ears flattened and her face turned red.

"Aw, that's sweet!" Sun commented.

Yang was grinning as an evil thought occurred to her. "So, Mrs. B… Do you have any cute baby pictures of Blake on your Scroll? I'm reeeaaaally curious to know what she was like as a kid."

"As a matter of fact, I do! Oh, there's one from her third birthday party that's just the cutest-"

" _MOM!"_

….

Oscar groaned as he slowly but surely clawed his way to wakefulness, or at least semi-consciousness. _What a weird dream,_ he thought groggily. There had been these incredible Huntsmen, a voice in his head, a battle…

His bed shifted under him as he rolled over, and his nose twitched. He could smell his aunt's lilac bush through the open window. He frowned when he felt a scratchy sensation against his skin. Had he fallen asleep in his clothes? He hadn't done that in years. And why did he feel so sore?

" _Good morning, Oscar."_

He was jolted fully awake in that moment as his memories flooded back, along with a healthy dose of awareness of how much his muscles hated him at that moment. He wasn't dreaming. He had fought with an organization of people who were working for the biggest evil mastermind on the planet! He had…

He sat up, wincing sharply. "Is everyone okay?" He struggled to remember everything. Things had gotten so fuzzy after… "You…took over."

" _You were not capable of fighting Hazel without me,"_ Ozpin said calmly. _"Rest assured, it won't be something I make a habit of doing."_

"You'd better not," Oscar muttered as he got up. "Ow…" He groaned. Everything hurt, and the pain felt like it was bone-deep in every spot. He stumbled, grabbing the nightstand for support. It was then that he saw the lilacs.

They sat in a vase filled with fresh water, cuttings of light purple and white flowers that filled the room with a familiar, strong, nostalgic fragrance. Oscar sniffed them deeply, relaxing a little in spite of the pain he was feeling.

It took longer than usual for him to shower and change into clean clothes, due to how stiff and aching he was. His hair was still damp when there was a gentle knock at his door. "Come in," he called.

Ruby immediately entered, her eyes brightening when she saw Oscar. "You're awake! How do you feel?"

Oscar's heart did a small, embarrassing backflip at how happy Ruby was to see him. "Kinda sore," he admitted. "But, I grew up doing farm work from morning till night, so I'll recover. Is everyone else okay?"

"Yes!" Ruby's shoulders slumped a little as she thought about the overwhelming fact that everyone had somehow made it. "Somehow, we're all okay." She checked her Scroll. "It's a good thing you woke up when you did. Dinner's in an hour, and Sun, Blake, and Ilia really want to meet you!"

Oscar rubbed at the back of his neck. "I'm still getting used to the cool Huntsmen I'm hanging out with right now. Not sure if I can handle three more." He grinned jokingly.

"Oh, stop," Ruby giggled. "We're all total dorks once you really get to know us. Even Weiss."

Oscar thought of the prim, proper Schnee heiress and found it a little hard to believe that there was anything dorky about her. Still, Ruby probably knew better than he did. The smell of the lilacs wafted over him again. "Where'd the lilacs come from?" he asked.

Ruby's cheeks flushed a little. "Well, I was walking around town, and there was a guy selling cut flowers, and they smelled really pretty. I thought maybe they'd cheer you up once you finally woke up."

Oscar felt himself blushing as well, noticing with a slight lightness in his head that Ruby's face had turned red. "Thank you. My aunt actually has a lilac bush in our yard. It blooms every spring. She cuts sprigs from it and places them all over the house."

"Really?" Ruby perked up. "That's awesome! My dad grows sunflowers in front of our house. Sometimes, they grow so tall, they block out the windows!"

"I love sunflowers!" Oscar exclaimed. "I always wanted to have a field full of them, but we need to dedicate the serious plots to vegetables and herbs that can be sold at the market."

"I'd really like to see your farm," Ruby said, just as something occurred to her. "So…your aunt. Does she know you're here?"

Oscar winced, staring at the ground, his smile vanishing. "Uh, no. I kinda had to sneak away. She's probably worried sick about me. She's always been protective of me since my parents died."

Ruby nodded, her eyes full of understanding. "Grimm attack?"

"Yeah." Oscar shook his head. "I don't remember too much about them, and it feels kinda weird. Like, I should have more feelings when I think about them, but I don't."

"It's the same for me," Ruby admitted. "I lost my mom before I could really make any memories of her. I talk to her whenever I visit her grave, though, and that helps me feel a connection to her."

"I'm not too good with words," Oscar said. "Whenever I visit them, I just stand there."

"There's nothing wrong with that."

"Yeah, I guess not." Oscar smiled at her. "Thanks for the flowers."

Ruby grinned, glad that the mood was lightening again. "No problem! Also, tell Ozpin he'd better go easier on you in the future, or I'm gonna have a serious talk with him."

Oscar blushed again. "You don't have to do that."

"Nope. Too late. He's gonna get a lecture," Ruby chirped. She could hear Yang calling her from down the hall. "We're gonna start on dinner. Wanna help?"

"Sure!" Oscar smiled. "Ren said he wanted to teach me that one soup recipe."

"Great! Come on!"

As Oscar followed her, he became aware of a chuckle in his mind that wasn't his. _"What?"_ he thought.

" _Oh, nothing,"_ Ozpin replied, his voice a little too cheerful. _"Just feeling nostalgia for my own teenage years. She certainly seems to like you, doesn't she?"_

Oscar's face turned bright red at Ozpin's tone. _"Oh my god, don't start making this weird!"_

" _How am I being weird? It's perfectly normal for teens-"_

" _It's weird to be hearing commentary about it from the old man living in my head! Just shush, okay?"_

" _Fine, fine. I'll go to the back of your mind and go to sleep, if you prefer. I just happened to be paying attention because she mentioned me."_

Thankfully, Oscar's mind became empty of all but his own thoughts after that. He noticed Ruby giving him a confused look. "Uh, Ozpin was just being annoying," he said quickly.

Ruby nodded. "It must be weird having someone else in your head. I don't know how I'd deal with it."

"I still don't know how I do…" Oscar admitted.

Dinner was a relaxed affair. There seemed to be an unspoken agreement between everyone that they would simply sit and talk, temporarily acting as if they weren't on the edge of another perilous quest. Oscar was glad to finally chat with everyone at length. He couldn't help but notice how Ruby urged him into various conversations with her friends, bringing up tidbits about their training, and encouraging Oscar to talk about his upbringing on a farm, which Ren was always eager to hear about.

Oscar recognized this as a determined effort on Ruby's part to integrate him into the larger group. He felt a rush of gratitude and another hint of a strange, warm, unfamiliar feeling that kept coming up whenever he was with her.

By the time the dishes were cleared, Oscar felt happier and more at ease than he had since leaving home. Looking around, he could see that this group of friends was really a huge, close-knit family. And they were accepting him as a part of it!

It was late, but the sun was still up for another hour or so. Oscar was glad, because he had a sudden idea. Grabbing his wallet, he slipped out the door.

That night, Ruby went into her room, feeling full and content. Before she could collapse on the bed, something caught her attention on the night stand. She picked it up, and a soft smile came to her face.

It was a sunflower with a pink ribbon tied around it. On it was a card that just had one word written on it: _"Thanks."_

 **I WILL PROTECT THEM WITH MY LIFE! Ahem… Anyway… I decided on having lilacs be the main flower in this shot, since red roses felt too obvious and lilacs are my favorite flower. Afterward, I looked up the flower's meaning. It turns out that white lilacs symbolize purity and innocence, while lilac-colored lilacs symbolize first love. Pretty fitting for our precious dork-babies, isn't it? I'll see you with tomorrow's prompt: "Promise."**

 **If you like what you see and want to join an awesome fan community while earning sweet rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


	3. Promise

**Hello again, my lovelies! This chapter is a bit shorter and angstier, but there's still a healthy dose of Rose Garden fluff. Enjoy!**

Ozpin was tired of ruining the lives of everyone he came into contact with.

He was tired of failing, tired of seeing people suffer and die, tired of watching the light fade from eyes that were once so bright and full of hope. Every failure, every memory haunted his every waking moment.

Now, he was on the brink of hurting two more people: dear young Ruby Rose, and poor Oscar Pine.

The realization hit as soon as Ozpin figured out that his newest host was falling in love. It was such a beautiful, pure emotion. Ozpin was overcome with a certain nostalgic fondness whenever he felt Oscar's admiration and chaste affections pass through his spirit like a breath of fresh air.

Then, he would think of Jaune and Pyrrha. Another failure. He remembered the way Pyrrha had looked at Jaune, and the way Jaune had eventually looked back. He had seen the potential for a beautiful, long-lasting love before one of them, driven by Ozpin's words, went alone to fight a battle that couldn't be won.

It wasn't the first, and it wouldn't be the last time Ozpin ruined something so utterly.

So, he watched the interactions between Ruby and Oscar with apprehension but did everything in his power to keep his fears hidden from Oscar. He would give small tidbits of advice when the boy wanted to listen. He would politely retire to the back of Oscar's mind whenever he was talking with Ruby alone.

It just so happened, however, that he was roused from his sleep early one night and was able to witness the end of his host's first date, which he had invited Ruby on using words that Ozpin mostly fed him, because sweet Dust the boy was hopeless!

The two were walking through the streets of Mistral, looking at the various shopping stalls, talking about things like food, video games, and books. _Things people their age should be talking about,_ Ozpin thought, feeling a pang of guilt as he thought of how they'd eventually have to return to fighting for their lives.

There were two small pieces of comfort, however. The first was that Ruby was a Silver-Eyed Warrior, a person just as destined for tragedy as Oscar was. Perhaps, together, they could avert some of the disaster that often faced people like them. At the very least, they would understand each other on a deep level that few other couples could hope to achieve. Ruby wouldn't leave him if things got too difficult, as was often the case with other hosts.

The other was that Oscar was strong. Ozpin's previous host, while like-minded, had been weak and perfectly happy to let the ancient wizard in his brain take full control and decide what to do, until the original soul was only a whisper in the back of a larger mind. The result had been a carbon copy of Ozpin with no new ideas or thoughts, which led to another failure.

Oscar was new, and he wasn't at all willing to relinquish control. Ozpin had had to seize it during the fight with Hazel. That was good. Someone like Oscar would keep his personality while learning from Ozpin, until it was Ozpin who became the whisper. That was how things needed to be.

That was what needed to happen if they were going to succeed this time.

Ozpin watched Ruby move closer, watched her kiss Oscar's cheek. He felt a ghost of the sensation from where he rested in the boy's mind, and was filled with a deep longing for a simpler time, thousands of years ago, before he had become a great wizard, before he had even known that magic existed outside of the smile of the kindly young girl who lived down the road from his home and wore flowers in her hair…

 _I won't rob you of this,_ Ozpin thought fiercely, though he kept his thoughts to himself. He couldn't make this promise vocally to Oscar, or else there would be the danger of breaking it and betraying the boy. Still, he would promise himself and hope that he could keep it. _I won't ruin your life like I did so many others. We will defeat Salem, and you will be free of me. You will live a good, happy life after this. I will do everything in my power to make it so. I promise._

Oscar was unaware of Ozpin's turmoil, of course. He was too busy reeling from the petal-soft sensation that had brushed his face and trying to figure out how to even react in the face of Ruby's nervous blush. _Go for it!_ he told himself. _Oz says it's always better to go for it than to have regrets!_

Taking a shaky step forward, he leaned close. As he felt Ruby's breaths on his face, he felt himself chickening out at the last moment and kissing the very corner of her mouth.

Before he could scold himself properly, however, Ruby moved her lips fully onto his. It was a quick kiss. A light, gentle first kiss between two blushing, awkward teens. Neither one could quite look at the other when they backed away.

"I'll see you tomorrow, then?" Ruby asked, recovering first and flashing Oscar a shy, but incredibly happy smile.

Oscar nodded. "Yeah! Sleep well, Ruby." He watched her enter the house and slumped back against the wall, looking up at the stars with a dreamy, admittedly-clichéd sigh. _"You can wake up now, Ozpin."_

Ozpin moved to the front of Oscar's mind a little guiltily, feeling like he had definitely intruded by watching that last part. _"How did it go?"_

" _Perfect,"_ he replied, allowing himself a huge, dorky grin. _"Thanks for the push, Ozpin. You were totally right!"_

" _Of course, I was. I've been around for thousands of years. I know how teenage minds work."_

" _I guess that makes sense."_ Oscar thought for a moment, his smile fading to a thoughtful expression. _"Did you ever have someone? A girlfriend, or even a wife?"_

" _Several, over the years,"_ Ozpin replied, thinking back wistfully. _"There was one or two in my original life, and a few more in later lives when my host gave me full control."_

" _Will…I have to do that?"_

" _No. It would honestly be best if you didn't. I'll fade over time as you grow accustomed to having my memories and abilities. Once you're ready, this task will fall to you. If we are successful, I will finally be able to rest. We both will."_

Oscar nodded. _"I'll do my best, Ozpin. For you, Ruby, and everyone else. We'll get our happy ending. I promise!"_

Ozpin would have wept if he could. He had heard those words so many times in so many different ways from so many bright, hopeful youths. It seemed that one of many things Ozpin had in common with his hosts was the tendency to make promises that he probably wouldn't be able to keep in the end.

He hoped, more than he had ever hoped for anything in all his cursed millenniums of existence, that this time would be different.

 **Though I find a lot of what Ozpin does to be very sketch, I also believe he feels a great deal of guilt for every shitty thing he's done. He's convinced himself that it's all for the greater good, which is why he does it, but he still regrets it all. That's my interpretation, anyway. Tomorrow's prompt is "Touch," and things are gonna get super fluffy.**

 **If you like what you see and want to join an awesome fan community while earning sweet rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


	4. Touch

**Greetings, everyone! I'm sure there are people plotting my death after yesterday's "Wings of Dust" update, but please don't! See? I can still write fluff with no strings attached! Look!**

"Oscar!" a familiar, hyperactive voice shouted, giving the young man in question only a moment's preparation before his scalp was assaulted by Nora's aggressive palm. "How's my little cute boy doing?"

Oscar groaned as Nora's hand withdrew, taking a moment to make sure there was no permanent brain damage from the brief rubbing he had received. "Why do you still call me that? I'm taller than you!"

"Doesn't matter," Nora chirped. "You're still my little cute boy. That hasn't changed since high school!" She hugged Oscar tightly before joining Ren, who had silently slipped into a nearby armchair.

"Don't embarrass him, Nora," he scolded gently, his cheeks turning pink when his girlfriend unabashedly sat in his lap and looped her arms around his shoulders. "We won't be able to study like this, you know."

"Sure, we can!" Nora leaned closer. "I'm studying you right now!"

Oscar grinned as Ren's face turned a shade of light maroon. "I was just going over the stuff for the exam. I think the big thing will be remembering all the dates."

Nora groaned. "Ugh. Remembering dates is the worst! Seriously, who cares if we can remember when it happened, as long as we know what happened?"

"The context of when it happened is important when considering the events," Ren pointed out.

"Yeah, okay, but is there really such a huge difference between something happening on October 2nd or October 12th?"

"Actually, yes."

"Uuuuggggghhh…" Nora slumped against Ren's chest. "Ren, I'm dead."

"That's too bad. I suppose we'll have to remove her from the common room, won't we?" Ren asked, winking at Oscar.

Oscar snickered. "Yeah. It's not very healthy having dead bodies lying around. You take the arms, I'll take the feet."

Nora sat up again, sticking out her tongue. "Jerks!"

At that moment, Ruby, Jaune, and Pyrrha arrived. Ruby zipped over to Oscar's side and kissed his cheek. "Hey, you!"

Oscar brushed his lips lightly against hers. "Hey. How was track?" He noted that her hair was still slightly damp from a hurried shower and smelling of her favorite rose-scented shampoo.

"Awesome! Coach Oobleck's really pushing us hard for the next meet." Ruby cuddled up next to Oscar, yawning loudly.

Jaune walked by, ruffling Oscar's hair while Pyrrha dragged over two more chairs. "Hey, buddy."

Oscar pouted. "What is it with you people and messing up my hair?" He batted halfheartedly at Jaune's hand, smiling to show he wasn't actually mad.

"Hey, it's not our fault your hair is ridiculously fluffy," Nora noted. "It's just part of your fate. I'd fluff Jaune's hair right now if he wasn't standing, and if Ren wasn't so comfy."

"Doesn't Ren's hair get any attention?" Ruby teased.

"Well, yeah," Nora said, rolling her eyes. "But his hair's not fluffy. His is sexy and silky. There's a different approach to that."

"Nora…" Ren muttered, his cheeks turning red again.

"Whoops!" Nora giggled. "Right. You guys don't need to hear any more of that."

"I kinda want to," Jaune noted, earning him a gentle swat from Pyrrha.

"No, you don't," Pyrrha said brusquely, though she was chuckling softly to herself. "Let's study before we end up talking about random subjects for several hours like we did last time."

To their credit, the group managed to get an hour of group studying in before the afternoon devolved into a deep discussion on what the best qualities are of visual novel games.

"I mean, a good psychological horror game has some of the best plot elements, I think," Pyrrha was saying. "Especially if the horror is a surprise."

"I don't want surprise horror, though," Ruby groaned. "Not if I want to play something cute and romantic. I still haven't forgiven you for telling me to play _Doki Doki Literature Club_ …"

"I'm sorry," Pyrrha said. "You did like it, though. I remember you telling me that."

"Yeah, once the nightmares stopped!"

"I like it when the game has a large gallery to fill out," Ren noted. "It gives you an extra goal, and the artwork is usually a cut above everything else in the game."

"That is fun, and it usually means there are a lot of choices," Oscar said. "That's what I like most."

"I like the more bizarre games, like ones that let you date a dragon or a pigeon!" Nora commented with a grin. "Those always do fun things with the plot!"

"Or catgirls," Ruby said with a smirk. "Though, those aren't exactly plot-based, right Jaune?"

Jaune's face turned bright red. "I don't know what you're talking about! You must be confusing me with Sun!"

By the time they were done, it was the early evening.

After packing up their study materials, Ruby invited Oscar back to her dorm room. "We usually study better in pairs, anyway," she pointed out. "And I would like to go over chapter 2 one more time."

"Good plan." Oscar started to follow, only to be sniped by another hair-touch from Nora. "Nora!" he snapped as his friend ran away.

Ruby giggled, though a concerned look entered her eyes. "It doesn't really bother you when the guys do that, does it?"

"No, it's fine," Oscar assured her as they headed down the hallway. "As long as it's them, and not random strangers."

Ruby frowned. "Do random strangers really touch your hair."

"Yeah," Oscar sighed. "They usually think I'm younger than I am, and think it's cute, or something."

"That's creepy! And it would be even creepier if you actually were a kid!" Ruby huffed. "Well, I'll just have to stick by you so I can headbutt anyone who tries that in the future!"

"You don't have to…"

"Nope! It's decided!" Ruby chirped, grinning widely. "What kind of girlfriend would I be if I did any less? I'd never hear the end of it from Nora."

They reached Ruby's room and went inside. It looked like Weiss was out, probably studying on her own at the library. She often said that studying in groups was too distracting. After the complete devolution of the study session that day, Ruby understood completely.

She took some cans of coffee from her mini fridge and sat next to Oscar on the futon. It was definitely easier studying like this. Both Oscar and Ruby were pretty quiet when they weren't around the chattier members of their group, and were able to read through the necessary chapters relatively quickly.

Oscar yawned before taking another swig of coffee. "I honestly don't think we can call those meetups study sessions anymore," he noted.

"Yeah…" Ruby agreed sheepishly. "Still, they're fun. Dad says it's important to stay connected to our friends and not let studying take over our lives."

"You should give Weiss that memo."

"Yang's been doing a good job of that lately," Ruby said with an obvious wink.

"Wait, really?" Oscar grinned. "I so called that!" He cut himself off with another yawn.

"Jeez, why are you tired?" Ruby teased. "I'm the one who was running track till lunch!"

"Still getting used to being awake so late," Oscar admitted. "Remember, on the farm, it was always early to bed, early to rise."

"True. Do you want to head back to your dorm?" 

"Nah," Oscar muttered. "I don't want to sleep yet. I'm just done staring at this textbook. Wanna play some games? I'm a bit curious about that dragon dating sim Nora was talking about."

"Me too! I actually downloaded it a while ago, but never got around to playing."

The two put their books aside and settled back on the futon, Ruby's laptop shared between them as they started playing games in the dim light. Over the course of the next hour, Oscar's head found its way to Ruby's shoulder, where he stared half-lidded at the screen.

Ruby smiled as her boyfriend's ridiculously-soft hair brushed her cheek. She couldn't resist nuzzling it a little, which caused Oscar to shift a little closer. Her attention wasn't on the screen anymore. "Hey, Oscar?"

"Hm…?" Oscar blinked drowsily.

"Is it…okay if I touch your hair? I know you said you didn't mind, but…"

"I don't," Oscar assured her. "Especially if it's you." His cheeks flushed a little as he realized how corny that sounded. "I-I mean…"

Ruby giggled. "You really are adorable, you know that?" Moving her hand away from the mouse, she gently ran her hand over Oscar's hair. It was like petting a bunny, except his hair was longer and thicker.

Oscar felt a warm, relaxing sensation go through him at that first gentle touch. At the same time, his heart started thudding and his blood felt as if it was filled with static. This was entirely different from anything he had felt before. It was different from the fond, mild annoyance that came from Nora's hand, or the creepy discomfort that came from a stranger, or the brotherly affection that came from Jaune. Having his hair touched had never felt so…good before. He shifted closer, a smile growing on his face.

Ruby blushed when she heard Oscar make a small whimpering noise in his throat. It didn't seem that he was aware of making the noise, though. Slowly, she slid her fingers through the clean, pine shampoo-scented locks, rubbing tenderly. Her heart jumped when he nuzzled the side of her neck in response. She wrapped her free arm around him, hugging him closer while her hand moved down, fingertips skimming his warm cheeks, which were rough and weathered from years on his aunt's farm.

Oscar draped an arm across Ruby's midsection, closing his eyes, feeling himself teetering on the edge of sleep. Her fingers, which were soft in some spots and calloused in others, continued to softly caress his face and hair, leaving pleasant tingles wherever they passed. He yawned once more. "Hm… I love you," he mumbled. He felt Ruby's hand stop and jolted back to wakefulness. _Wait. No. I was waiting for the right time to say that. Oh no, was it weird to say it now?! Crap!_

Ruby could hear her boyfriend's heartrate speeding up, and hugged him a little closer. Her own heart was racing, and she couldn't stop smiling. "I love you too."

Oscar let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness! Uh, I mean…"

Ruby kissed the top of his head, giggling at how adorably awkward he was. "Don't ever change, okay?"

Oscar smiled, feeling his cheeks burning as he closed his eyes and snuggled up against his girlfriend once more. He held her close, feeling her warmth and her gentle, unique touch as the lazy hours of the evening passed them by.

 **I love College AUs. "College Battle Games" is one of my favorite Arkos pieces I've written, and I still feel a certain nostalgic longing whenever I write something college-related. I honestly feel that, once I have experienced more of the real world and become smarter, I'm destined to return to college and become a professor. I just thrive in that kind of environment, you know?**

 **When I saw this prompt, I knew I had to address my headcanon that Oscar's hair is ridiculously soft. I mean, you know everyone touches it. There's no way they don't!**

 **If you like what you see and want to join an awesome fan community while earning sweet rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


	5. Protect

**Aaaaand we're back again! Today's prompt, as you can see, is "Protect," and I had to do some comfort fluff. I seriously can't get enough of these cuties.**

 **Enjoy!**

Oscar's hands shook as he measured out cocoa powder and sugar, pouring them into a simmering saucepan of milk. He took a trembling breath, trying to calm himself down as he stirred. A bottle of rum sat on the windowsill, likely left by Qrow. For a crazy moment, Oscar wondered if putting a little of that into the brew would help.

" _No,"_ Ozpin's stern voice immediately cut in. _"You are fourteen years old! I will not abide any underage drinking."_

"Well now, I really want to try some," Oscar muttered sulkily.

"Try some what?"

Oscar spun around, his face turning red when he saw Ruby. Though everyone knew about Ozpin, it was still embarrassing when one of them walked in on Oscar talking out loud to him. "Ah, Ozpin was just telling me to stay away from Qrow's rum."

"You should," Ruby said flatly. "Uncle Qrow gave me some when I was ten. It tasted terrible."

" _He did what?! Honestly…"_ Ozpin's disapproval was clear, and Oscar had a feeling that Qrow was in for a lecture the next time the old wizard took over.

Of course, thinking of that reminded him sharply of his dream, which caused any remaining color to drain from his face once more.

" _That dream won't come true, Oscar,"_ Ozpin said, his voice becoming very gentle. _"I promise."_

Oscar sighed, wanting desperately to believe him.

"Are you okay?" Ruby took a step closer. "You look like you're worried about something."

"It's nothing!" Oscar said quickly. "Just a bad dream." Immediately, he regretted saying that. How weak would that sound? To his surprise, Ruby nodded in understanding.

"I get those a lot," she muttered. "They were really bad just after the Fall. Was half-asleep all the time, because I never could let myself fall asleep completely."

"That's terrible," Oscar replied. He guessed that her dreams were probably a lot scarier than his. He remembered the cocoa and hurriedly stirred it to make sure it wouldn't burn. "Um, this is almost done if you want some."

"Sure!" Ruby got two mugs from the cupboard and rummaged around for a minute before sighing. "No marshmallows. Oh well."

They filled their cups, turned off the stove, and retired to the sofa. For a little while, they sipped their drinks in silence. Oscar noticed with some relief that Ozpin had gone quiet. Talking to him was a little awkward at the moment, all things considered.

"Was your dream about our fight with Cinder?" Ruby asked. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," she added quickly.

"It's fine. Um…" Oscar paused, waiting for any sign of Ozpin listening. It was hard to tell sometimes. "It was sort of about the battle."

"It was pretty scary," Ruby said, thinking back with a shudder to that moment when Jaune and Cinder had clashed. Honestly, that was what she had been spending the last couple nights dreaming about: what would have happened if her silver eyes hadn't stopped Cinder when they had.

"Ozpin took over," Oscar admitted, gripping his mug tightly. "He…He took over when I was fighting Hazel, even when I wanted to keep fighting on my own." He shivered at the memory of having his consciousness forced to the back of his own mind. Before, he had always relinquished control willingly, and that had already been a jarring feeling. To have it forced…

Ruby put down her mug, her eyes narrowing. "He took over by force?"

Oscar nodded, putting his mug down and wrapping his arms around himself, trying to gain some reassurance that they were still his. "I know he was trying to protect me, but I just can't get over the fact that he _can_ do that, you know?"

He looked at Ruby, feeling himself starting to shake. "He entered my mind when he died, and I had no say in it. He says that he merges with his hosts. He was able to take over even though I didn't want him to." He felt tears welling up and quickly looked away. "I have no control, Ruby. What if…What if I stop being me? What if I'm just going to disappear in the end?!"

Ruby immediately moved close, wrapping her arms tightly around him. "You won't disappear, Oscar! There's no way!" She made her voice as sure as possible, though there was a sick feeling in her gut due to this new information. _Ozpin did say that he merges with his hosts when he talked to us before…but that doesn't necessarily mean taking over completely, right?_

"That's what I keep dreaming about," Oscar admitted. "I dream that I'm at the end of the battle, but instead of going back into my mind and resting, Ozpin just stays. He doesn't let me have my body back. He just takes over and keeps on leading the group and everyone else while I become quieter and quieter. And no one notices. They just follow Ozpin and forget about me." That was the part that always hurt the most.

" _Oscar,"_ Ozpin said, unable to keep from speaking any longer. _"I promise that I will not do that to you. The only hosts I overcame were the ones who were weak-willed and preferred to hand control over to me over taking responsibility for their own decisions. You aren't like that. I did what I did to keep you alive. I will only take over like that if I think it's the only way to save your life. Otherwise, I will be a part of you until my memories become yours and I am the one to fade into the background."_

Oscar shook his head, covering his ears. "How do I know that?!" he growled, not caring that Ruby could hear the one-sided conversation. "How do I know you won't just decide to take over one day? You had no problem manipulating a seventeen-year-old girl to be the next Fall Maiden!"

" _I had many problems with that, Oscar,"_ Ozpin said, his voice becoming old and weary. _"More than I can describe."_

Oscar couldn't bring himself to believe. He remembered that Ruby was still there, though she only had one arm wrapped around him now. He gave her an apologetic smile. "It must look weird when I talk to him out loud like that. It's easier than thinking at him sometimes."

"I'm used to it." Ruby hugged him again. "Oscar, you don't have to worry about that dream coming true. I don't think Ozpin would do something like that, though I'm pretty mad at him for a lot of what he _has_ done. Also, none of us would just let him take over. We wouldn't forget about you."

Her cheeks warmed as she continued. "I know _I_ wouldn't forget you. We haven't known each other for a long time, but you already mean a lot to me."

Oscar gaped at her, feeling his heart stop for a moment before hurrying to resume its beating. "I…" He swallowed loudly. "You mean a lot to me too." Slowly, he lifted his arms to hug her back.

After a moment, something occurred to him, and he moved back a little. "Why were you awake?" he asked. "Did you have a bad dream too?"

Ruby nodded. "Every battle we have makes me realize how easy it would be for someone else to just die. Jaune almost died. Weiss almost died. You could have died." She sniffed quietly. "The dreams all blur together, you know? It's more of a feeling, knowing everyone's dead and that I couldn't stop it."

Oscar tightened his hug again. "You've already stopped it, though. You being in these fights makes the battles go more in our favor. I'm sure there are a bunch of times when someone would have died if you didn't exist to be in that fight. If someone dies, it's not because you didn't do something. It's because the enemy was stronger." He paused, his brows furrowing. That had been really deep. Had Ozpin affected his words just now?

"Thanks, Oscar." Ruby sat up to look at him, and quickly interpreted the flash of worry on his face. "Hey. You're still you, okay? Even if you change or start talking differently, it's still you. People change, after all."

"I guess so." He supposed that, as long as he had control, he wouldn't lose himself. Even if Ozpin caused his mannerisms and thoughts to change, he would still technically be Oscar. _I hope…_

He forced a grin. "Think we can change into people who can actually sleep for a full night?"

Ruby laughed. "I hope so. This is seriously annoying. Not the talking to you part, but the not sleeping part," she quickly clarified.

"I get it," Oscar chuckled. He finished his cocoa, which was growing cold. "Well, I guess we should try to get some sleep."

An idea hit Ruby. "What if we slept here?"

Oscar stared at Ruby, blinking slowly. "Huh?" He could feel his face heating up.

Ruby blushed. "I mean, when Team RNJR was traveling, we slept together to keep warm and to comfort each other. I guess it's just not weird to me anymore. I mean, I slept with both Jaune and Ren a hundred times by now. But it's probably weird to you, huh? Forget I said anything!"

"Did it help?" Oscar's voice was quiet and hesitant.

"Huh?"

"Did it help?" he repeated, just a little louder. Even as his heart stuttered and pounded, even as his palms started sweating, he knew that he really wanted this. He needed comfort from the dark thoughts his dream had left him with, and Ruby clearly needed the same thing. "Did sleeping close to each other help you feel safe?"

"It did," Ruby affirmed. "It really did."

Oscar nodded shakily. "Okay." He glanced around awkwardly, grabbing a blanket from off the back of the couch. "Um, how should we do this?"

"Lie down with your back to the sofa," Ruby instructed. She had always slept with her back to Jaune or Ren's chest. When she had slept with Nora, they had switched positions depending on the night. Since Oscar was shorter than her, and since he was clearly more disturbed by his dreams than she was by hers, she wanted him to be in the warmer position.

Oscar obeyed, trying not to shiver too obviously when Ruby scooted into place behind him, covering them both with the blanket before draping a slender arm over him and pulling him close. He could feel her chest and legs pressed against his back. Her chin rested in his hair. He could feel her breathing, feel her heartbeat. The sheer intimacy of it all made his face unbearably hot.

"You're really stiff," Ruby commented. "Just relax." She squeezed him gently. "Not scared of little ole me, are you?" she teased, hoping that would relieve some of the tension.

Oscar let out a small laugh, feeling himself relaxing a little despite his nervousness. "Not scared. Just…" He trailed off, biting his lip. "Never mind…"

The two lay there, both of them slowly relaxing into the cushions as they got used to the close proximity. Eventually, Oscar closed his eyes and allowed himself to rest fully against Ruby, who continued to hug him as her head sank into the pillow.

Ruby felt Oscar shifting, felt his hand moving toward hers. His fingertips barely brushed her wrist, then paused. Gently, she wrapped her hand around his. She felt him grip it softly, but with an undertone of desperation. She understood.

Oscar held Ruby's hand against his chest, feeling his breathing becoming steadier. There were a lot of feelings going through him right now, many of which were entirely new and hard to understand. He pushed those strange feelings aside in favor of focusing on the ones he did know.

He was happy. He knew that much. Knowing that Ruby cared so much, knowing that she wanted to help him made him happy. Also, he felt safe. Protected. It was like Ruby's strength and warmth were surrounding him, creating a cocoon that no Grimm or scary man with Dust crystals in his arms could penetrate. The idea of anything bad happening, at least in that moment, suddenly felt impossible. For a split second, Oscar even forgot that he had an ancient wizard inhabiting his mind.

He would have given anything to make the moment last forever.

Closing his eyes, Oscar mumbled a sleepy "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Ruby whispered. _I'll make sure you get through this,_ she vowed. _I'll make sure you're always Oscar, no matter what. I'll remember how you are right now, and make sure nothing happens to take you away. I'll protect you…somehow._

She knew it was true. Even if she had to somehow fight Ozpin, she'd make sure Oscar would be okay by the end of all this. She wasn't sure how, but she knew she'd try. At that moment, however, all she could do was protect him from being afraid, protect him from being alone. That, at least, was something she knew she could do.

They drifted asleep together. Just before Oscar lost consciousness, he thought he felt a brush of soft lips on his head, the barest ghost of a kiss. But maybe that was just his imagination.

 **Ever since I realized that Oscar is shorter than Ruby, and that Ruby can actually be the big spoon in this relationship, I have had a desperate need to write them in that scenario. I can promise you it will be happening again. Many times. It's too freaking cute!**

 **I'm also delving a bit more into my headcanons concerning Ozpin. I just can't imagine an endgame where he overpowers Oscar completely. In my opinion, him taking over totally ruins the point of possessing different people rather than reincarnating as a newborn. True, it can be argued that possessing grown or close to grown people means he can get back in the game faster, but I'm convinced that the different perspectives gained in each live also are meant to assist Ozpin in figuring out how to defeat Salem.**

 **On the other hand, it may just be for physical convenience, meaning we'll be getting some major angst in the next few volumes as Oscar essentially fights against the clock to defeat Salem before he completely loses his and his relationship with Ruby and his friendship with the others… Why does this show hurt me so much, and why do I keep letting it?!**

 **Anyhoo, tomorrow's prompt is "Soulmate," so stay tuned!**

 **If you like what you see and want to join an awesome fan community while earning sweet rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


	6. Soulmate

**Hello, everyone! Today, we're back with a "Soulmate" prompt. I plan on giving these two a chapter in "Red String of Fate" eventually, but I wanted to do something different for this one.**

 **Enjoy!**

Oscar could taste chocolate chip cookies. Again.

He heaved a long-suffering sigh and went to the kitchen for a glass of milk. His aunt made sure the fridge was well-stocked. This was a common occurrence, after all. _My soulmate must have a billion cavities,_ he thought for the thousandth time as he sipped the cool, fresh milk, giving himself some relief from the persistent sweetness on his tongue. _Though, I do taste bubblegum toothpaste every morning and night, so maybe not._

Drinking the milk, he couldn't help but imagine his soulmate, whoever they were, munching on a plate of cookies, reaching for milk, and then stopping when the taste of farm-fresh milk appeared on their tongue on its own. He imagined them smiling brightly, and his annoyance faded somewhat. Oftentimes, he'd feel the sweetness become nearly unbearable, telling him that his soulmate was stuffing cookie after cookie into their mouth, and he wanted to tell them to slow down and take a moment to breathe.

At least the cookies usually tasted homemade.

His soulmate had a love for sweets. Sometimes, he'd taste cake. Other times, chocolate candy. Chocolate was almost always a given. More times than once, he'd be keenly aware of his soulmate eating straight out of a bag of chocolate chips.

Whenever he wasn't working on the farm or at school, which honestly wasn't often, Oscar would wander through downtown Mistral, staring through the windows of bakeries, watching carefully whenever someone his age would eat a chocolate cookie or pastry, waiting to taste the same thing on his tongue.

He would often find himself at his favorite local coffeehouse. There, he would order a vanilla latte and a piece of homemade baklava, hoping that was a different enough dessert to make him obvious if his soulmate happened to taste honey and vanilla while in the same place.

 _Who am I kidding?_ he thought glumly as he sipped his coffee. _Nothing's that easy._

Still, everyone was supposed to meet their soulmate eventually. One of these days, he'd taste a chocolate chip cookie at the same time his soulmate was nearby eating one. They would taste the milk he'd then drink. Their eyes would meet, and that would be it.

But he had heard that some soulmates didn't meet until they were in their thirties. Some were already old by the time they met. What if that would be the case for him?! He knew that some people who hadn't found their soulmates would come together and make lives together, but he didn't want to enter any temporary relationships. He didn't want to break someone else's heart upon the finding of his true soulmate. He didn't want to have his own heart broken if the other person found their soulmate first.

So, like many others often did, he waited and hoped that he'd be one of the lucky few who found theirs while still young.

Between his intense study of pastries and his small size and timid nature, it was no wonder that the local bullies decided that poor Oscar would be a perfect target for their cruelty. They laughed at his way-too-obvious wish to find his soulmate, said that his soulmate would probably think he's just as pathetic as everyone else at school did.

One time, when Oscar was feeling particularly fiery, he spat: "What? Are you jealous because you don't have a soulmate?"

This caused one of the bullies to get a particularly nasty look. He kneed Oscar in the stomach and, while the boy was winded, shoved a handful of dirt into his mouth, punching his teeth in the process. "Hope your _soulmate_ likes that!"

Oscar spat and gagged, tears burning his swollen eyes. He tasted blood and desperately hoped that his soulmate wouldn't taste anything, that the connection only applied to food.

That night, he tasted chocolate accompanied by a cool sensation. His soulmate was eating ice cream. He decided to do the same. His mouth still hurt terribly.

Over time, he realized that his soulmate likely did taste the dirt and blood from his encounters with the bullies, which were at least twice a week. At first, he thought it was coincidence, but it quickly became clear that his soulmate always ate ice cream within an hour of Oscar washing his mouth out. He also noticed that, after the first few times, the flavor changed from chocolate to pistachio, which was the kind he would always eat.

His soulmate was trying to comfort him in the only way they could. Despite the pain, despite his aunt's smothering worry, he smiled.

"Did they hurt me because of what I said about not having a soulmate?" he asked his aunt one evening.

"Probably," Aunty Em replied. "Not all people have them. They never taste anything but what they themselves eat."

"That must be hard," Oscar said. "Should I apologize, do you think?"

"Absolutely not!" his aunt spat. "Apologize to the people shoving dirt down your throat… You need to grow a backbone!" She cuffed his shoulder before handing him a bowl of ice cream. "I never had a soulmate."

Oscar blinked up at her. "But Uncle Henry…"

"He didn't have one either. We fell in love on our own." Aunty Em smiled gently. "You're very lucky to have a soulmate, but don't feel too sorry for those who don't, especially if they're knocking you about after school! Speaking of which, I'm calling the principal whether you like it or not. I'm sure a trip to the office won't make them any meaner than they already are."

Oscar severely doubted that. He brought the spoon up to his mouth, then paused, his heart skipping a beat when he realized that he could already taste his soulmate's pistachio ice cream. He ate his own ice cream and closed his eyes as the flavors piled on top of each other, becoming almost unbearably intense.

He wondered if that was what his first kiss would be like.

When summer came, things with the bullies were always worse. It was harder to predict when and where they would show up, and there were no school officials to stop them (not that the people at the school did much to begin with). So, Oscar stayed on the farm until the need for a change of scenery finally drove him to risk a mouthful of dirt.

It was mid-July, and he was bolting down the path through the woods as quickly as his feet could carry him. He ran down the hill, past the lake, and toward the town, where the large number of people would cause the bullies to give up their chase.

He was nearly there when he was suddenly taken down from the side. He hit the ground, his head ringing as he tried to scramble to his feet. When they had his arms, however, he knew there was no point in struggling anymore, and just went limp so it would be over with quickly.

He was so busy choking on the filth that coated his throat, he didn't hear the running footsteps until they were punctuated by an enraged shout. All of a sudden, one of his tormentors was on the ground. Then, another. Standing over them was a girl Oscar had never seen before. Her hair was like gold and her eyes were filled with a deep, hot fury that would have halted a hungry bear in its tracks.

The remaining two bullies rushed the girl, who punched one of them so hard, Oscar was positive he saw teeth flying out. The other was kicked in the groin, and Oscar was willing to bet that the poor young man wouldn't be having any children. Ever.

The girl pushed her hair back, glaring at the four as they struggled to their feet. "You have three seconds to start running. Three…"

Oscar had never seen anyone run so fast. He gaped at the path, where only the dust from the boys' shoes showed that they had even been present. He looked up, jumping a little at how close the girl suddenly was.

"Hey," she said, her voice and face becoming gentle and completely transforming her from a terrifying force to a kindly mentor figure one would expect to find in any school club. "You okay?"

Oscar spat out the remaining dirt and wiped his chin, which had a small cut on it. "I-I think so," he muttered. "Thanks."

"No problem." The girl pulled him to his feet and started dusting him off. "I'm Yang."

"Oscar," he replied. "I, uh, haven't seen you around before. Did you move here?"

"Nah. My dad rented the cabin over by the lake. My sis and I both managed to get straight A's this year, so we got a week-long vacation." Yang took a bottle of water out of her backpack. "I was just going for my first hike when I saw those goons. Well, you won't have to worry as long as I'm around. Ever consider taking self-defense lessons?"

Oscar accepted the bottle gratefully. He swished the water around and spat to the side. "I don't have time. I work the farm when I'm not at school, and I'd prefer to spend my free time in town or reading."

"Makes sense," Yang allowed. "But why aren't you stronger if you're a farmer?"

Oscar frowned. "I'm strong enough to till the fields, but it's a different kind of strength. The dirt and plants don't exactly punch back. Besides, I've gotten used to it. As long as they don't chip a tooth, I can deal with it."

"You shouldn't have to-" Yang froze suddenly, her eyes widening. "Wait…This happens a lot?"

"Yeah," Oscar said in a "Well, duh!" voice. "I'm a pretty easy target."

"Do they always shove dirt in your mouth?"

"When they catch me," Oscar muttered, glancing to the side. "Can we change the subject?"

"Sure. What's your favorite ice cream flavor?" 

"Huh?" Oscar tilted his head. "Pistachio. Why?" He saw the girl's eyes widen and felt his breath seize up in his throat. There was no way… Could it be…? "Are you…?"

Yang shook her head, but a huge grin was quickly replacing her earlier concern. "Nope, but I know who is! Come on!"

Oscar found himself being dragged down the path, around the lake, and to the cabin that had always been rented out to some family or couple that never stayed around long enough to make them worth visiting. He yelped as Yang pulled him up the porch, not waiting for him to climb the stairs on his own, and opened the door, dragging him across the threshold too. She only let go once they were in the living room.

"Okay!" she said, still bearing a slightly-manic grin. "Just wait here." She went to the entrance to the living room and stared intently at the kitchen.

Oscar obeyed, his chest feeling like there was a swarm of angry moths battling each other between his aching ribs. It faintly occurred to him that he had just let himself get dragged through a forest and into someone's house. _I'd be the easiest kidnapping victim of all time,_ he thought miserably and took another sip of water.

A moment later, the door opened and small footsteps hurried past. "Hey, Yang!" a young voice said. It sounded like a voice that was usually cheerful, but right now, it was tinged with annoyance and a bit of sadness.

"Hey, sis. Could you come here? I got something to show you."

"In a second. Where's that ice cream?"

Oscar's breath caught in his throat.

Yang glanced over her shoulder, winking. "The pistachio ice cream?"

"Yes, the pistachio ice cream! My soulmate got beat up again! They need their ice cream! Ah, here it is. Why does Dad always put it behind the frozen dinners?" There was a sound of rummaging. "I swear, when I finally meet the bullies doing this, I'm going to beat them with a stick until they only taste dirt and blood for the rest of their lives. See how they like it!"

Oscar stood up, though his legs suddenly felt like they were made of paper and started shaking uncontrollably.

Yang was bouncing up and down on her heels. "Okay, now can you come in here? I got a surprise for you!"

"Ooh, I love surprises!"

Oscar didn't even have time to register how adorable that voice sounded when excited. Within a half-second, a girl zipped into the living room, holding a pint of pistachio ice cream in one hand, a spoon in the other. She had short, brown hair, gorgeous silver eyes, and the purest smile Oscar had ever seen. He didn't even use the word pure to describe things, but that was the first adjective that came to mind in that moment. The girl looked at him, and he forgot what words even were.

Thankfully, Yang was more than happy to talk. "Ruby, this is Oscar! Oscar, this is Ruby! Say hi, Ruby!"

"Hi." Ruby was momentarily baffled by Yang's excitement. Then, she saw the cut on Oscar's chin, saw the dirt on his clothes, saw the way he was staring from her face to the ice cream tub as if he was trying to comprehend something incredible. She almost dropped the ice cream and the spoon then and there.

Oscar's mouth felt dry, despite having drank nearly all of the water bottle. "It's you," he breathed.

Yang stared between the two and slowly backed away. "Welp, I'm gonna be in my room. Chilling. You know. See you kids later!" She walked up the stairs, though she kept glancing over her shoulder all the way.

Oscar swallowed loudly. "Um, could you?" He nodded at the ice cream. "Just to make sure, I mean?"

Ruby nodded, feeling numb as she opened the ice cream and ate a spoonful. She saw Oscar's expression change, and had to put the tub and spoon on a nearby table, because her hands were shaking so hard. She swallowed. "Did you…?"

"Yeah," Oscar breathed. He had never thought ice cream could taste so good. He tried to calm his heart, and managed to flash a crooked, painfully-awkward grin. "So, have you seen a professional about your cookie obsession yet?"

Ruby gaped at him for only a moment before bursting out laughing. Oscar joined in, and the sound of their combined mirth ran through the living room like a silvery bell.

"I gotta ask," Ruby said once she could talk. "What is that honey thing you keep eating? It's soooo good, but I have no idea what it's called and it's driving me crazy!"

"Baklava," Oscar replied. "If you want, I can take you to the coffee shop that makes it. I mean, since you're going to be here for a bit."

"It's a date!" Ruby said eagerly, her cheeks flushing when she realized that that was exactly what it would be. _This is my soulmate,_ she thought, smiling uncontrollably. _He's right here!_ She knew she was blatantly staring at him, but that was okay. He was doing the same thing, after all.

 _He has such a sweet face!_ Ruby almost had to suppress a coo of adoration as she took in Oscar's brown and green eyes, his nervous grin, his freckled cheeks… "What kind of person would beat someone like you up?" she asked aloud. "They clearly have no souls, and I am morally obligated to kill them." A bit of the fury she had felt ever since she first realized what the bitter, iron-y taste that often came to her mouth meant leaked into her expression.

Oscar's cheeks flushed. How could someone be so pretty, and yet so fierce? He already knew he was going to love both qualities deeply as they continued to reveal their many layers to him. "I think your sister has them scared enough now."

"Well, I call dibs on beating them up next, so nyuh!" She stuck out her tongue, which set off Oscar's laughter all over again. It was such a beautiful, joyful sound, Ruby had no choice but to start laughing again as well.

Once they were somewhat calm, they sat down on the couch, a bowl of pistachio ice cream and a plate of chocolate chip cookies in front of them. There was much to talk about, and a lot to be excited for. Already, the foul taste of blood and dirt had turned to little more than a distant, unpleasant memory.

 **So, I stumbled across a prompt for a Soulmate AU involving tasting whatever your soulmate's eating. Then, my angsty mind wondered if things like blood from a punched mouth would also transfer between soulmates. I'm sorry for hurting the little bean, but at least Yang is now his protector! I'll see you tomorrow with the final prompt: "Cultivate."**

 **If you like what you see and want to join an awesome fan community while also earning sweet rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


	7. Cultivate

**Aaaaand, here we are at the end of Rose Garden Week! This was a fun collection to do, and we're finishing today with the longest of the oneshots I made. I came up with this idea while playing a VN dating sim about guardian spirits. I've always been fascinated with Eastern cultures and their many multi-deity religions. I'm particularly interested in Shinto, and the concept of having thousands of small gods and spirits that people build shrines for and make offerings to. I may play around with this AU in the future, if I get inspired to write something longer for it.**

 **Anyway, enjoy!**

Oscar had always been able to see what he collectively referred to as spirits. Ever since he was little, and he noticed a lady with green skin and hair the color of autumn leaves standing beneath an oak tree, a lady who no one else could see, he had known of his abilities. He could see, touch, and smell the small gods and invisible beings that lived in the world alongside humans. He saw the dryads that inhabited the oldest trees. He saw the forest guardians, who played tricks on anyone who littered or over-hunted. He saw the ghosts of humans who had gotten lost on their way to the afterlife.

It was actually something that ran in the family on his mother's side, though his aunt actively avoided talking to the beings that inhabited nature and the small shrines scattered about the land. "They couldn't save your parents," she had huffed once when Oscar asked why she so blatantly ignored the fantastic beings around her. "So, what good are they to us?"

Oscar disagreed. Maybe it was because he had no clear memories of his parents. Though he felt sadness and regret when he looked at old photos of them, he didn't feel the deep anger that his aunt felt. If he did feel anger, it was directed toward the man who had been drinking, the man who had driven his car sixty miles above the speed limit and turned the Pine family's old truck to a twisted piece of metal. What could spirits do to stop something like that?

No, spirits were beings of nature and faith. That was what the priests at the various shrines and temples said. Nature birthed them, and the faith of living things kept them from fading. Offerings, prayers, and simply speaking to them was enough to make the spirits grow.

One of Oscar's favorite spirits was the guardian cat that lived on a road through the woods by his house. She had once been an ordinary black cat, and had belonged to the town's librarian. One night, when the two had been out walking together, her master had been mugged and beaten to death. The cat tried to fight the men, who were later identified by the deep scratches on their bodies. No one could recapture the cat after that event, but she could be seen prowling the road at night.

Stories spread of the cat saving other travelers, either by warning them of approaching danger or directly attacking an assailant. Soon, no criminals came to that road, believing it to be cursed. Good people walked there freely, leaving food for the cat.

After the cat died, a shrine was erected, and offerings were left by people who wished to travel safely down that road and beyond. The belief of the people was so strong, that the cat never left. She remained as a ghostly protector, and now held the status of a minor god.

She was very quiet and knowledgeable, fitting for a librarian's cat. Whenever Oscar visited her shrine, she would rub against his leg, purring softly. Sometimes, she appeared as a young woman with cat ears and a cat tail, and would talk with Oscar about the books he was reading. She always had good advice for him.

He visited her one day when he was ten, his face downcast. She took on her humanoid form immediately and asked what was wrong.

"The farm's failing," he admitted. "There's some sort of disease affecting the corn, and it hasn't been raining enough for the other plants to grow."

The cat nodded. "If you're working hard, there's not much else to do. Have you prayed to the harvest gods for help?"

"I do at night," Oscar said. "Aunty doesn't like it when I ask them for things, though."

"Yes, because of your parents," the cat sighed. "I'd go to the temple and ask just the same. You could even make a shrine in your room. It probably won't fix everything, but it might give you a little help."

"A little help would be really nice," Oscar admitted.

The next day, he went to the temple. In his pocket was a paper bag of his aunt's chocolate chip cookies. He didn't know if they'd be a suitable offering. They weren't as fancy as the cherry cakes or flower-shaped pastries other people left, but they were the best he could come up with. He knelt in front of the shrine to the greater Harvest Goddess and prayed for help. He placed the cookies on the altar, bowed his head, and left.

The next day, without warning, he entered the fields to find a young girl already there. She stuck a finger in the ground, licked the dirt, and frowned. Her silvery eyes were sharp, and she wore a blood-red cloak that whipped back and forth despite the lack of wind. As Oscar approached, she turned and flashed a smile that was so purely happy, he had to grin back.

"Hi. Are you a harvest spirit?" he asked.

"Sure am!" the girl chirped. "Do you have any more cookies?"

"Yeah. Do you want some?"

"Well, I need energy if I'm gonna fix this farm!" she replied, putting her hands on her hips and flashing a proud smile.

Oscar hurried back to the house, his heart lighter than ever. The harvest spirit radiated confidence the same way his favorite sun spirit radiated light. Everything would be okay if she was the one helping him. He was sure of it. He returned with some cookies. They were getting a little hard around the edges, but the girl absorbed the energy from them just the same. Her face took on a whole new level of delight, filling Oscar with hope.

The farm showed signs of improvement within only a few days. The spirit flitted from area to area, fighting the corn disease, making quiet deals with rain spirits to moisten the soil just a bit more. As the cat had said, things didn't get totally better, but they were certainly better than they had been before. By the time autumn came, the harvest was good enough to break even. It wasn't much, but it was better than going under financially. Oscar was delighted when the spirit chose to remain during the next growing season.

The only catch was that she had to keep her presence hidden from Aunty Em. Oscar knew his aunt wouldn't be happy with a spirit's presence on the farm, nor with any interference from an outside force. She was very proud, after all.

"It's annoying!" the spirit complained one day. "I can't do as much when I'm hiding from her."

"Can't you become invisible to people?" Oscar asked.

"Making myself invisible to seers takes energy," the spirit explained.

"Would more cookies help?"

The spirit grinned. "Maaaaybe."

Oscar grew to love working the fields alongside the spirit. They would talk quietly about anything that came to mind. The spirit admitted that she was a young deity, that this was her first farm, and that she had been attracted by the cookies, which were such an unusual offering. "Way better than the honey cakes people always bring!" she insisted. "They may be traditional, but they're so bland!"

They ate lunch together by Aunty Em's rose bushes, which the spirit particularly loved. Oscar started leaving fallen petals with the cookies and sweets he would put on the tiny altar he had made in his room.

The spirit learned from Oscar about other deities in the area, and quickly befriended the cat spirit. And, while the rain spirits continued to be difficult, she grew to love the sun spirit Oscar often talked to: a gold-haired, red eyed young woman who took one look at this young sprite and claimed her as a little sister immediately.

"Yang said she'd go easy on the crops, so they don't wither," the spirit assured Oscar one day.

"Yang?"

"Yeah, the sun spirit." She tilted her head. "You didn't know her name?"

Oscar shrugged. "I never asked. The priests at the temple say that names have power in the spirit world. I figured it was bad manners to ask."

"If you give your name freely, it's okay to ask for a spirit's name in return," the spirit assured her. "The worst they can do is say no. Yang likes you, so I figured she wouldn't mind."

Oscar hesitated before asking: "What's your name?"

"I don't have one. I'm still a young spirit, and most spirits and gods get names from people who believe in them," she explained. "Having a name makes them stronger and strengthens their bond with their worshippers."

"Can I give you a name?"

The spirit's eyes lit up like dewdrops in the early, silver light of the morning. "I'd love that!"

Oscar felt his cheeks flushing at how excited she was. "I'll think of a good one. I promise."

It didn't take long to come up with the right name for his harvest spirit. Initially, he thought about just calling her Rose, due to her love for the rose bushes. However, that name sounded too gentle on its own. Even though roses had thorns, people named after them were often seen as soft and delicate, like the petals. This harvest spirit, while obviously gentle-hearted, also was passionate and tough. He had once seen her single-handedly fight off a many-tailed fox god, who had been encouraging his subjects to try hunting in the chicken coop.

She needed a name that was both tough and gentle. He thought of Silver, but decided against that too. Though her eyes were silver, and had been the first thing he had noticed about her, the color red seemed to symbolize her better.

One day, after his twelfth birthday, Oscar finally approached his spirit. "What do you think of Ruby Rose?" He felt that using a stone as her first name would help establish her tough nature, while the flower would emphasize her kind, gentle side. Both would definitely do her beauty justice. Oscar said none of this out loud.

The spirit's face turned a healthy pink color. "I think it's perfect!"

Over the course of the next month, the soy beans that were being grown in the old corn plot grew lush and green. A rain spirit allowed several dense, heavy clouds to come to the farm, convinced by a much bolder harvest spirit.

As Ruby's ties to the farmland grew, so did her connection with Oscar. She taught him how to make an amulet using the farm's soil, which allowed her to go anywhere with him, even to the parts of town that weren't close to the temple, even to areas that were far away from the farm.

They would run through the woods together, meeting new spirits and conversing with old ones. Yang, the sun spirit, followed them everywhere, her warm, protective light covering them as they lay in the grass.

During the winter, Ruby even managed to befriend a minor winter sprite. The sprite, obviously, had a chilly personality, but she was able to express her kindness in small ways, such as diverting the worst of the season's weather from the farm.

By spring, Oscar already knew that the farm would do even better than last year.

By the time Oscar turned fourteen, he had made several friends at the temple. His best friend was probably an older boy named Lie Ren. Through him, he met Nora Valkyrie, Jaune Arc, and Pyrrha Nikos. The four all came from devout families, and prayed to different deities.

Eventually, Oscar introduced them to Ruby. He showed them the secret altar in his room, talked about how she had helped improve the farm, and let them hold the amulet. They all greeted Ruby respectfully, even though they couldn't see her.

Oscar turned to look at his friend, and let out a gasp. She was glowing softly from within, exerting an inner strength that outshone anything he had ever seen before. Immediately, he realized that the unquestioning belief of his friends had drastically strengthened her.

He didn't realize it then, but that moment when her inner radiance reached this new height was the exact moment he fell in love with her.

When he was fifteen, he was attacked by a wolf. It was midnight, and he had rushed outside in response to the panicked cries of the cows, and found a starved, lone wolf pawing at the fence. He swung a stick at the wolf and shouted, trying to drive it off. The wolf, likely manic with hunger, lunged forward and bit his leg before a sharp blow to the head knocked some sense back into it and sent it running into the forest.

Ruby was horrified. She remained by Oscar's side as he recovered, not bothering to make herself invisible. Aunty Em, to her surprise, glanced at her, but didn't comment on her presence until after the bandaging was done.

"Finally revealed yourself, then?"

Oscar gasped, sitting up before wincing at the pain in his leg. "You knew?"

"Of course, I knew. Your friend doesn't hide very well," Aunty Em said briskly. "And clearly she doesn't care to fight something that threatens her primary worshipper. Typical."

Ruby looked stricken, and Oscar felt a hot flush of anger. "Don't blame her! There weren't any wolf spirits to negotiate with. She can only affect things physically relating to the farm."

"Or you."

"Because I can see her!"

Ruby stared at the ground. "I tried to attack the wolf, but I just went through him…"

"It's okay, Ruby," Oscar promised. "I'm fine. See?"

Aunty Em gave Oscar a bitter drink. "I don't like this," she said bluntly. "But I know better than to try and stop you. Just don't do anything dangerous." She looked at Ruby. "Make yourself useful and keep him warm, will you?"

Ruby watched Aunty Em leave with slumped shoulders, then crawled into bed next to Oscar. She nuzzled against his shoulder. "Don't try fighting wolves again," she whispered. "Don't fight anything I can't protect you from. Okay?"

Oscar's mind was already becoming muzzy due to the medicine and herbs. He wrapped an arm around Ruby's middle. Despite her ethereal nature, she felt warm and solid in his embrace. "Okay."

When he woke up, Ruby was staring at him. Of course, she hadn't needed to sleep. He realized that his hand was on her side and quickly withdrew, his face burning. Ruby tilted her head at him. "You've been kinda jumpy around me lately."

"H-Have I?" Oscar stammered.

Ruby nodded, shifting closer, which did not help Oscar's crazed heartbeat. "Are you sick?"

"I…I don't know," he admitted. He looked at those familiar silver eyes and simultaneously felt better and more confused than he had ever been.

Ruby continued sleeping at Oscar's side, even after his leg healed. One day, out of the blue, she expressed a wish to stop being a harvest spirit and to be his personal guardian spirit instead. She wished to make her primary bond with his amulet, once he added his blood to the soil.

"I could do more to keep you safe," she noted. "And I can protect your children too."

Oscar felt a weird, sickly pang in his stomach. "What if I don't have kids?"

"Then I'll just protect you." Ruby placed a hand on his chest. "And I guess I'll belong to whoever else has the amulet next."

Oscar liked that idea even less.

He approached the cat spirit, who he now knew was named Blake, and asked her what all these confusing feelings meant. Blake rolled her eyes. "You're in love, you dummy."

A weird combination of elation and terror filled Oscar's mind. "Can a human even love a spirit?"

"Obviously," Blake said dryly.

"Can…Can a spirit love a human?" he asked.

"Yes," Blake affirmed. "I've known several. It can be difficult, considering a human's short lifespan. Some humans stay behind as ghosts, and eventually become spirits in order to be with the one they loved."

"How does that happen?"

"The same way it happened with me: enough people associated the ghost with something, and were willing to believe in it like one would a god or spirit. That allowed them to become so." Blake ruffled Oscar's hair gently. "Don't think too far ahead, though. Why don't you focus on telling Ruby how you feel?"

Oscar blushed. "I don't know how."

"Last I checked, it only took three words."

It ended up being more than three words. It started with "I don't think you should become a guardian spirit."

Ruby frowned. "Why not?"

"Wouldn't you be tied to the amulet?" Oscar asked. "Instead of to the land? Won't that be limiting?"

"I mean, yeah," Ruby admitted. "But I'll be stronger."

"Don't you want your freedom more?"

"Yeah, but…" Ruby shook her head, her own face taking on a conflicted look. "What if you get attacked by a wolf again? Or something worse? I don't know if I could handle losing you." The two were sitting, and she brought her knees to her chest. "I try not to think about how you're human, because you're going to die one day and leave. I don't want it happening any sooner than it has to."

"I don't have to leave," Oscar pointed out. "I can be a ghost."

Ruby stared at him. "Now who's worried about freedom? If you become a ghost, you'll be stuck until an exorcist sends you somewhere else."

"Or until I become a spirit," Oscar said. "Like you."

Ruby's face was turning distinctly red, and she turned away, wiping her eyes. "You shouldn't do that. It's too risky. What if you don't become like me?"

"I want to try." Oscar stared at the ground. "I…I don't want to lose you either."

There was a moment of silence with both human and spirit staring at the ground. Then, Oscar felt a touch on his hand. It was warm and soft, and he closed his eyes, imagining that they were both human, that they could just enjoy this contact without worrying about anything else.

When they stood up, he kissed her. She pressed close to him, wrapping him in her ever-moving cloak. When they pulled away, she smiled at him, though it was a smile tinged with sadness.

Another year passed. The harvest sprite's strength was greater than ever before. The farm had never been better. So it would be for many years after that.

A time would come when the farm started to die. Not because of the spirit, but because the one who was meant to tend the farm was growing weaker. His hair was white and his skin was as weathered and wrinkled as tree bark.

Ruby was at his side, as she always was, appearing as a young woman. She kissed his brow as she listened to his rattling breaths. She saw a spectral crow perched on a nearby tree, and knew that one of Death's many agents was coming.

When the cold figure came and touched Oscar's brow, Ruby clung to him. She clung to him even as his body lost its warmth. She cried even though he couldn't hear. She held him tightly, scrunching her eyes shut and cursing everything she could think of.

Then, she felt movement in her arms. She opened her eyes and saw Oscar, a young man again, smiling warmly at her. She touched his face. It was cold and insubstantial. He was a ghost, barely tangible, hardly even real.

But local legend was taking effect. Stories of the lonely farmer who loved a harvest spirit had spread far and wide. Lie Ren, who had gained much respect as a devout worshipper, spread the story everywhere he went. Nora, Pyrrha, and Jaune prayed at the rose bush and searched for someone else to care for the farm. People came from all around to Oscar's funeral, decorating the entire town with rose petals and stalks of corn

As Ruby detached herself from the empty property, she felt another bond forming. She looked at the ghostly Oscar and gasped. He was already becoming warm, already regaining his color.

He smiled at Ruby, and at the farm that had turned oh so slowly into a thing of beauty, and had stayed that way for such a long time. He wasn't sure what would come next, but he was more than ready to feel his bond with Ruby grow, and to someday settle down and help another poor farmer cultivate his struggling fields.

Bidding farewell to their former lives, the two harvest spirits grasped hands and returned to the temple, waiting for the prayer of someone who needed them. Especially if the offering was a plate of chocolate chip cookies.

 **I could have had Oscar die and go to the afterlife and make this super bittersweet…but I couldn't bring myself to get too angsty with these fics. A few of the Rose Garden Week artists have been making really angsty/tragic pieces, and I'm just sitting here crying. These babies are so cute! I can't bring myself to hurt them too much! On the other hand, I drink the tears of my readers for sustenance… Oh, the dilemmas.**

 **If you like what you see and want to join an awesome fan community while earning sweet rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


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